David McLennan (left to right), President & COO of Bell ExpressVu, Carl DeMarco, President of World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Canada Inc, and John Bailey, President of Famous Players Inc., get ready to rumble after announcing the launch of WWF In-theatre Pay-Per-View events beginning January 23, at select Famous Players Entertainment Destinations across Canada. (CANADA NEWS WIRE PHOTO/Famous Players Inc.)

Do you smell what the Rock is cooking? Could it be ... hot buttered popcorn?

Taking advantage of the seemingly unending popularity of professional wrestling, Famous Players announced yesterday it will begin broadcasting pay-per-view World Wrestling Federation events in the company's giant screen theatres across the country.

Beginning Sunday with WWF Royal Rumble, Famous Players plans to show one WWF pay-per-view extravaganza each month at 17 of its entertainment complexes, including SilverCity in West Edmonton Mall.

The second event is WWF No Way Out, hitting the big screens on Feb. 27.

"We've already sold out one of our theatres in Winnipeg," Famous Players spokesman Barry Patterson said yesterday.

"It opens up the door in the future to do more sorts of live pay-per-view events ... sporting, concerts."

Using satellite signal receivers provided by Bell ExpressVu and special projection equipment, the WWF events - starring larger-than-life wrestlers like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mankind and the Rock - will be shown on the theatres' giant-sized screens.

In a statement yesterday, World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Canada president Carl DeMarco called the three-way deal between Famous Players, the WWF and Bell ExpressVu "the first Canadian in-theatre pay-per-view initiative of its kind."

Each event will begin at 5 p.m. local time with an hour-long pre-show event, with the main event starting at 6 p.m. Tickets for the WWF shows will cost $14.95, and can be bought in advance at theatre box offices or by calling 1-877-988-9788.